Nikki arrived at the PRC in October 2019 at less than one year old after being confiscated as an illegal pet from a home in Charles County, Maryland. After being cared for by the Maryland zoo during the state’s legal holding period for confiscated animals, Nikki was transferred to the Primate Rescue Center where she can enjoy the comforts of sanctuary life. Because she was only 4 months old, her care plan had to be specialized to meet her age-specific needs. While Nikki was settling in and adapting to her new home, we began evaluating companionship opportunities for her. Initially, she was introduced to Saidah Barbary macaque. However, Nikki found Saidah to be a little too big and intimidating. Our next option was with another monkey who had also spent time around other baby monkeys – Dewey rhesus macaque. Dewey and his companion Bubbles long-tailed macaque received Nikki into their home with open arms and eagerly began grooming, playing, and cuddling with her. With Dewey and Bubbles as her surrogate parents, Nikki now has the comfort and love needed to mend her tiny heart after being taken from her real monkey mother and sold into the pet trade when she was just a few days old. Nikki is very energetic but also loves to have a nice nap wrapped up inside her favorite blankets. She likes to play with toys that rattle and make noise, and her favorite foods are mangos and popcorn.
The Many Ways of Giving
You can ensure the primates receive quality lifetime care and that we can continue saving lives for decades to come.
Chimp Outdoor Enclosure Deck Upgrades
The chimpanzees’ outdoor enclosure now features a new ground-level raised platform on a sloped part of the grounds previously underutilized by the troop...
A Beacon of Hope: The Legacy of Dewey
Remembering and honoring Dewey's legacy on the 25th anniversary of his rescue.
Merry “Chimpmas” 2022
It’s that time again – the 2022 PRC Chimpmas Holiday Wishlist is here! Each year we look forward to this festive season so that we can spoil all the amazing PRC primates with a little extra holiday cheer. The monkeys and apes have all made their Chimpmas Wishlists, and we hope that you will enjoy making their Chimpmas dreams come true!
Chimps show off their ‘signature’ drum beats
Wild chimpanzees have their own "signature drumming style" according to scientists. Researchers who followed and studied chimps in the Ugandan rainforest found that the animals drum out messages to one another on tree roots.
Study reports first evidence of social relationships between chimpanzees, gorillas
A long-term study led by primatologist Crickette Sanz at Washington University in St. Louis reveals the first evidence of lasting social relationships between chimpanzees and gorillas in the wild.
PETA to CDC: Suspend Monkey Imports in Light of New Endangered Status
Today, in a significant move that should have an impact on wasteful, old-style animal experiments, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) announced that the conservation status of long-tailed macaques and pig-tailed macaques has been changed from “vulnerable” to “endangered.”
The PRC’s Lifetime Care Promise
Jenny Siamang Gibbon was rescued by the PRC in 1992 and is estimated to have been born in 1971. The PRC's Lifetime Care Promise by: Melanie Parker Since its founding, the Primate Rescue Center’s mission has been clear – rescue, rehabilitation, and recovery of...
Guest opinion: End the primate pet trade before more people get hurt
Monkeys and apes do not belong in anyone’s home – ever. This latest incident should be a wake-up call to our elected officials: Pass the Captive Primate Safety Act to put an end to this cruel and senseless trade.
Smuggled spider monkeys confiscated at Texas border crossing
Smuggled spider monkeys confiscated at Texas border crossing U.S. Customs and Border Patrol officials found four endangered spider monkeys in a duffle bag during a Dec. 30 inspection of a vehicle crossing into Progreso, Texas. (CBP Photo) by: Sandra Sanchez Fox8...
